PBA: Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 2013 draft preview

2012-13 season recap:

• Philippine Cup: 9-5 (3rd), lost 0-4 to the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters in the Finals
• Commissioner’s Cup: 9-5 (2nd), lost 0-2 to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the quarterfinals
• Governors’ Cup: 5-4 (4th), lost 1-3 to the Petron Blaze Boosters in the semifinals

What happened last season?

Rain or Shine finished with no championships this season, but even if they were unable to build on their 2012 Governors’ Cup title, the Elasto Painters were always in postseason contention.

They started off the year strong, carrying over their momentum from the 2011-12 season by barging into the Finals of the 2012-13 Philippine Cup. Unfortunately, they ran into the buzzsaw that was Talk N’ Text and got swept out of the Finals.

The Elasto Painters went up against surging teams in both reinforced conferences and were eliminated in the playoffs. They lost to a motivated Ginebra team in the quarterfinals of the Commissioner’s Cup, and then a well-oiled Petron machine knocked them out in the semifinals of the Governor’s Cup, as they failed to defend their conference championship.


What do they need?

It’s hard to nitpick this Rain or Shine team. Almost everyone head coach Yeng Guiao plays contributes in some way on the court.

However, if there’s one glaring weakness that Rain or Shine has, it’s their lack of a rim protector. The Elasto Painter bigs are all solid defenders. However, they’re also the most ground-based frontline in the league. They hold their own in the post defensively, but they’re not a group that’s known to alter or block shots. For a team that prides itself on stopping their opponents, a help side shot-blocker would definitely give the Rain or Shine defense a new dimension.

Beyond that, the Elasto Painters can use their numerous draft picks to fill holes in playmaking and scoring. They need insurance for the oft-injured Paul Lee, someone who can put up points in bunches if needed.


Who do they pick?

Rain or Shine should use their third pick to get the best available big man on the board, most likely Raymond Almazan. The Letran center is everything that the Elasto Painters need. He’s tall, long and athletic, perfect for the shot-blocking role he figures to have. His offense isn’t as polished as the other big men in the league, but he finishes strong and doesn’t shy away from contact.
 
It looks like Almazan will play heavy minutes immediately, with the Elasto Painters likely pairing him up with their enforcers Beau Belga and JR Quinahan.

With the ninth pick in the first round, Rain or Shine can grab someone like James Forrester or Nico Salva. Forrester’s athleticism at the off-guard spot will give the team a different look, while Salva will bring a polished offensive game to Rain or Shine. He will be the recipient of a lot of kick-out passes and will use his steady mid-range game to get his points.

With the 12th overall pick, Rain or Shine needs to take Ryan Buenafe. Going past the whole Extra Rice Inc. comparisons, Buenafe is an intelligent playmaker who doesn’t need to score to be effective. He can create scoring opportunities for the rest of the Elasto Painters., while more importantly, Buneafe needs a coach like Yeng Guaio to get him into and keep him in game-shape for the PBA.

[Try out our 2013 PBA mock draft machine here]

Possible trades:

Rain or Shine has one of the deepest teams in the league, not because of talent but because every player fits a role that the team needs. They really don’t need much more than another big man in this draft. In reality, the ninth, 12th and 14th picks are all surplus, and can be used as trade fodder.

A possible trade scenario for the Elasto Painters would be the ninth pick for someone like Sean Anthony. The Talk N’ Text Tropang Texter small forward is a bad fit for his current team, but his toughness and swiss-army knife game is a perfect fit for Rain or Shine. He can come in and immediately play forward for RoS. This is a win-now move for Rain or Shine, and it also gives the Tropang Texters a chance to infuse some young blood into their aging core. - AMD, GMA News